Timberland’s “Boots In The Bayou” To Aid In Gulf Coast Renewal Efforts
Three-Day Service Event Will Engage Over 800 Volunteers
to Revitalize Local Communities
STRATHAM, NH, December 11, 2006 — The Timberland Company will take its unique passion for community to greater New Orleans this week when it convenes more than 800 volunteers in a three-day service event to help rebuild neighborhoods impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Long-time Timberland partners SkillsUSA and The National FFA Organization will kick off this week’s service by joining forces with Habitat for Humanity to install three Habitat homes in Hammond, Louisiana – one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, and one whose population nearly doubled following the events of Hurricane Katrina last year. The Hammond Habitat homes project will take place today and tomorrow (December 11 and 12).
On Wednesday, December 13, 350 Timberland employees and partners will work to revitalize and transform ten city blocks of the Oretha Castle-Haley Boulevard in the center of New Orleans. Specific service projects include:
- Renovating Café Reconcile, a nonprofit restaurant dedicated to training and developing local youth as hospitality and restaurant industry professionals
- Landscaping, both as a means to beautify the Boulevard and to help prevent future flooding
- Landscaping at the McDonogh 38/Myrtle Banks School to support the building’s conversion into a Civil Rights Museum
- Renovating elderly homes and a community center in preparation for future rebuilding
This service event comes as part of Timberland’s semi-annual Sales Meeting, which includes service and community-based investment as a means to leave positive, sustainable impact in the meeting’s “host” city. This year’s impact expands scale and scope given the historic scale of need and the company’s commitment since August 2005. Congressman John Lewis, noted humanitarian and Civil Rights leader, will be on hand to lend inspiration for the week’s events and to launch Timberland’s John Lewis Fellowship – a values leadership training for selected Timberland employees.
“We gather in New Orleans as a community, in community,” said Jeffrey Swartz, Timberland’s President and CEO. “We’re inspired by the courage and resolve of local citizens, and privileged to be a modest part of the vast mobilization of resources and effort required to renew the spirit of this special city.”
Timberland will partner with a network of local organizations, including
City Year Louisiana,
Hands On New Orleans, the
Ashé Cultural Arts Center and
Groundwork New Orleans for this day-long effort to create positive, sustainable change in central New Orleans. Timberland and partner
Share Our Strength will host a “Taste of New Orleans” event, featuring world-renowned cuisine of local chefs and restaurants. The Taste event will benefit local anti-hunger, anti-poverty programs supported by Share Our Strength’s Katrina Relief Fund. Additional local partners include the
Oretha Castle Haley Business and Merchants Association Main Street Program, the
Central City Renaissance Alliance, the
Central City Partnership, the
City of New Orleans Parks and Parkways, and
Parkway Partners.
“A shared vision of greatness and passion can help this city get back on its feet,” said Carol Bebelle, Founder and Director of the Ashé Cultural Arts Center. “We are proud to partner with Timberland in reaching the shared goal of making New Orleans the vibrant city it once was.”
This week’s events further Timberland’s commitment to assist in Gulf Coast revitalization efforts. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, a team of Timberland employees mobilized to dedicate three weeks of fulltime service and support to devastated families in Louisiana. The company also partnered with Share Our Strength to create the nationwide Restaurants for Relief program and helped launch City Year Louisiana. Over the last sixteen months, Timberland has led a variety of efforts to address critical long-term issues facing the region, including home build projects with Habitat for Humanity, the renovation of two New Orleans schools and support of the Red Cross and Americares.
Timberland (NYSE: TBL) is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland®, Timberland PRO®, SmartWool®, Timberland Boot Company™, Miōn™ and GoLite® brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and are built to withstand the elements of nature. The company’s products can be found in leading department and specialty stores as well as Timberland® retail stores throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, South Africa and the Middle East. Timberland’s dedication to making quality products is matched by the company’s commitment to “doing well and doing good" -- forging powerful partnerships among employees, consumers and service partners to transform the communities in which they live and work. To learn more about Timberland, please visit
www.timberland.com.
City Year is a national service organization uniting young adults, ages 17-24, from diverse racial, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds for a demanding year of full-time community service, leadership development, and civic engagement. City Year Louisiana was launched 100 days after Katrina struck to provide fulltime disaster relief, enrichment and mentorship for children displaced by the storm, and large scale service projects that address community needs.
Share Our Strength works toward ending hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world. Through Restaurants for Relief, Hinges of Hope and unique events and programming, Share Our Strength has generated over $1.7 million dollars to invest in citizen leaders and community recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region.
SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. SkillsUSA helps high school and college students enrolled in career and technical education programs to excel by teaching employability skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership in conjunction with their trade, technical and service occupations skills.
The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Habitat for Humanity International seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. The Ginger Ford Habitat for Humanity is the southern Tangipahoa Parish affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.
Hands On Network is a national network of more than a half million volunteers who engage in close to 50,000 projects annually – with a specific focus on corporate volunteerism. Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Hands On New Orleans has been a catalyst for volunteers to make a difference in the region’s recovery.
The Ashé Cultural Arts Center was established to combine the intentions of neighborhood and economic development with the creative forces of community, culture and art to revive and reclaim a historically significant corridor in Central City New Orleans.
The
Groundwork USA network is dedicated to the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of a community’s physical environment. Groundwork develops local partnerships which unite citizens, businesses and organizations to promote a community’s environmental, economic and social well-being.
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